A jury convicted them of murder in 1996 for a fatal shooting in East Cleveland the year before. The men's current attorneys say that the now-retired assistant Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County prosecutor failed to tell defense attorneys about two young eyewitnesses and that he later ordered police not to turn over the boys' statements. Police gave the statements to attorneys in 2013.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty is defending the prosecution of the men.